A second pastor, who appealed to his church members to support another church in its call to lobby the government to retain a law which criminalises sex between men, has deleted references to the issue from his statement.

Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong of Cornerstone Community Church who joined the raging online debate by posting a message on his website urging Christians to be “battle-ready” for “not just for this battle, but for the many battles ahead of us” against the “LGBT bloc” has noticeably removed more than 100 words from his original statement.

The Singapore High Court is scheduled to hear two cases in which three petitioners are challenging the constitutionality of the long-standing law on in February and March.

An image comparing the original and edited statements was widely circulated online today by a Singapore socio-political news website, The Online Citizen.

The five-paragraph statement originally titled “Firing the first salvo” which was posted on Sat, Jan 19, reads: “We must sound the trumpet because the church must get herself into battle footing, and be battle-ready. The first salvo was fired by the Senior Pastor of FCBC this week on the LGBT issue and the churches are beginning to mobilise themselves not just for this battle, but for the many battles ahead of us. The LGBT bloc will of course be outraged, but that is to be expected. We must make a stand for righteousness in this nation. This war is winnable and the church will arise victorious. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus who loved us. Be ready for a sharp polarising of our society over the gay and lesbian issue and when it happens, you better make sure you know which side you are on. Grace to all of you."

The paragraph has since been edited to now state: “We must sound the trumpet because the church must get herself into battle footing, and be battle-ready. The church will arise victorious. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus who loved us. Grace to all of you.”

The website did not explain why the paragraph was removed.

Last week, pastor Lawrence Khong of the Faith Community Baptist Church spoke against the repeal of section 377A which criminalises sex between men during a Sunday service with the former Prime Minister of Singapore Goh Chok Tong in the audience. Khong warned that repealing the law will “take away the rights of parents over what their children are taught in schools, especially sex education.”

“It attacks religious freedom and eventually denies free speech to those who, because of their moral convictions, uphold a different view from that championed by increasingly aggressive homosexual activists,” he added.

Last Friday evening, Singapore law minister K Shanmugam announced in a Facebook post that he will meet Khong and representatives of LoveSingapore, a network of 100 local churches, to discuss what they see to be a "looming threat" "caused by "homosexual activists seeking to repeal Section 377A". In a letter published by the minister, Khong wrote that the network is concerned about the government’s stance on homosexuality as the minister had met with members of a lesbian group last year. He said: “This could be read as high-level endorsement of their agenda. We are deeply concerned. We have been concerned ever since October 2007 when Section 377A of the Penal Code was debated in Parliament.”. On its website, the network defines one of its aims as having influence in “government and leadership” alongside other six other "Gates of Cultural Influence" in Singapore.

Over the weekend, Khong appealed to not just to Christians, but to citizens of Singapore “regardless of language, race or religion” in several lengthy Facebook posts to support the retention of the law.

He wrote: “(T)he homosexual agenda is NOT fantasy. It is a fact. And it begins with the repeal of Section 377a of the penal code. It has to be stopped.”

The National Council of Churches of Singapore did not respond to queries from Fridae before press time.

In 2007 when the government announced that it would repeal section 377 (which criminalised oral and anal sex regardless of gender) but retain section 377A (which criminalises sex between men), the council advocated that a “similar prohibition ought to be enacted in respect of lesbianism, considering that lesbianism (like homosexuality) is also abhorrent and deviant, whether consensual or not.”

It’s important to stay calm in the face of online baiting and demonising of gay people by some pastors, who I believe may just be trying to raise the temperature and provoke angry reactions, just as trolls do. Maybe they believe that if they can raise the general temperature, they can pressure the Courts in some way in the upcoming constitutional cases, by frightening the horses, to use an old Victorian expression. So, don’t fall for it, don’t get angry. Let the courts deliberate in a calm atmosphere. I have seen some very good responses, by people just telling their own or their friends’ stories in simple human terms.

Thankfully people are wary of some churches by now, on this and other issues. Their imagined “gay agenda” seems to be a reflection or projection of a very real religious agenda of their own that has been plainly set out in conferences and literature, with regard to taking over or influencing seven key areas - media, education, government, law etc., - as referred to in the above article. Just google Seven Mountains strategy. This can have unforeseen and devastating effects, as in places like Uganda, now run by Christian fundamentalists, and where gay people and their supporters are persecuted and murdered, with the death penalty on the cards for gay people in relationships.

Apparently, historians have a theory that Hitler had Jewish ancestory of which he was ashamed. So, in a demented effort to remove that genetic "taint", he decided to wipe out the entire Jewish race. Such vehement hatred is usually borne of self-loathing. It was the case with Hitler. It is, in my view, also the case with all these "pastors" who are teaching their flock to hate fellow humans on the ground of sexual orientation. I'm pretty sure Jesus would curl in his tomb to hear his gospel of hope and compassion turned into a weapon of discrimination.

The Church -all faiths included- is ill-placed to give advices let alone to take a stand on civil matters.
The Church to keep its power has resorted in millions of killings throughout the ages; since when an entity having perpetrated crimes against humanity is entitled to a vote -of any kind ?

having been born in rural Mississippi U.S.A., and being raised
in the Baptist faith, i find it so laughable at how Baptist in
Singapore mimick Baptist in Mississippi = hipocritical,selfserving,
greed seeking(tideing),and of course bipolar to the max.
hopefully, the High Court of Singapore will see thru the smoke
screen of the "god loves and forgives all sinners who are like
us except homosexuals" spouting Baptist preachers. i sincerly
hope that the HC strikes the 377A down and brings Singapore
to a new enlightened view of human beings sexual orientations.
yes, MR. Preacher man, God made me the way i am.

Seven Mountain Evangelistic Association is a Evangelistic Missionary Ministry that exists to serve and glorify God by proclaiming the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the next generations in communities and Churches. The ministry has been developing as the Holy Spirit has led me to consider how the seven spheres of Family, Religion, Entertainment, Media, Education, Business, and Government might be more effectively impacted by the Christian Gospel.

Our mission and core values will help the children and youth gather, grow and go into communities with Christian principles to help influence society cross-culturally. A cross-cultural lifestyle on earth is an eternal lifestyle in heaven. Allowing an individual to learn and understand the importance of respect and social boundaries wherever they work and live. We will reach out to the next generations with evangelism in communities, by preaching and teaching biblical principles, so that God’s purpose for individuals can be identified within the seven spheres of society. By encouraging other cultures as unique individuals and helping them break away from the unfortunate addictions of the world. We seek to help strengthen the communities in which they live to see restoration in families.

Our Mission:
Develop followers of Jesus Christ who influence society cross-culturally to see restoration in families.

Our Goal:
Seven Mountain Evangelistic Association’s goal is to gather, grow, and go into the nations with Kingdom principles. We desire to establish Christian communities, which allows the Church to gather the next generations through the life changing message of Jesus Christ. We will do this by going into places where they are instead of having them meet us only within the walls of His Church. With the goal of helping individuals within society make the transition from having internally focused natural minds to eternally focused spiritual minds.
Our heart is to help the lost and fatherless. By gathering externally with evangelism, we will grow together internally through servant leadership within the walls of His Church and community. Helping lead the next generations to freedom by being transformed by the Cross. The addictions of this earth emotionally impair our human judgments and lead us away from knowing how much the Father loves us.
From this place of transformation, we will develop followers of Jesus Christ for our Father’s mission, going into His nations and establishing the coming Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

This guy is has a right to free speech, even hate speech if he so chooses, no matter how stupid he looks. Actually, he more than adequately highlights the thinking of a small lunatic fringe. Most sane people will see that, even those opposed to Homosexuality would have to acknowledge that we are not a threat. Guys who are secure in their sexuality tend to be more tolerant. They know they can't be converted or perverted or whatever you want to call it. And if we go to war with him and his flock what kind of war will it be. He's going to throw holy water at us and beat his head up against the wall or something and we are going to throw handbags. It'll all be over in 5 minutes and we will win. :)